English Monarch. He was the son of Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort, who was a descendant of Edward III. His claim to the throne was tenuous at best, but Henry won the crown by defeating Richard III at Bosworth Field, ending the Wars of the Roses. He was crowned on October 30, 1485. A Lancastrian, he married Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV, and united the two factions under the House of Tudor. Henry was then left with the herculean tasks of restoring the power of the monarchy, defeating other claimants to the throne, and replenishing the treasury. It can be debated whether he was a great ruler, but he was most certainly a successful one. He founded a new dynasty, strengthened the throne, and refilled the coffers, both of which had been severely damaged by the Wars of the Roses. Henry died at Richmond at the age of 54, leaving a now rich and powerful nation to his son, Henry VIII. (bio by: Kristen Conrad)